Five Huskies Selected to 2025 Canada West Volleyball All-Star & All-Rookie Teams

Feb. 26, 2025 – Canada West has announced its 2024-25 men’s and women’s volleyball all-star and all-rookie team selections, celebrating standout student-athletes who have excelled on the court this season.

The conference’s volleyball postseason began with the play-in round last weekend, setting the stage for best-of-three quarterfinal matchups to begin later this week.

The conference will announce its major award recipients for volleyball on Wednesday, March 5.

WVB | Eight schools represented with all-stars

With an exceptional amount of parity throughout Canada West women’s volleyball this season, it’s only fitting eight different schools were represented with all-star selections.

That number increases to 11 schools represented when including the all-rookie team.

Manitoba was the lone school to place a pair on the first all-star team in Raya Surinx and Katreena Bentley. Surinx continued to take her game to new heights, as the reigning Canada West and U SPORTS Player of the Year led the nation in both total kills (310) and kills per set (4.84). It’s the second straight first team nod for Surinx, who has now been named an all-star in each of her three Canada West seasons. It’s also the second straight first team nod for Bentley, who led the nation with 10.47 assists-per-set.

UBC outside hitter Lucy Borowski also made her second straight first team, leading the T-Birds offence with 3.82 kills-per-set, the third highest mark in the conference.

A pair of student-athletes moved up to the first team after placing on the second team last year, including UFV’s Lauren Attieh and Trinity Western’s Maryn Boldon. The first team was rounded out by Thompson Rivers outside hitter Rida Erlalelitepe and Alberta setter Justine Kolody.

Manitoba libero Julia Arnold and UBC outside hitter Akash Grewal were named second team all-stars for the second straight season, while Trinity Western middle Kaylee Plouffe earned her third straight Canada West all-star nod. The second team featured two Alberta Pandas in Allie Moore and Abby Guezen, while Mount Royal’s Emma Boyd and Saskatchewan’s Taryn Hannah rounded out the roster.

The future of the conference continues to look bright, with six schools represented on the all-rookie team. Saskatchewan led the way with two selections in libero Gabi Flaman and outside hitter Ella Millne. MacEwan’s Anika Buys and UBC’s Leonora Barbulovich-Nad were selected as middles. Trinity Western setter Tayana Dmitruk and outside hitters Olivia Boulding of UBCO and Sophia Hansen of Calgary also earned nods.

MVB | Parity on display in all-star team selections

The depth and parity across Canada West men’s volleyball was once again on display this season, with 11 schools represented with all-star selections.

Familiar faces included Alberta’s Isaac Heslinga, Winnipeg’s Isaiah Olfert, and UBC’s Mason Greves, who all reprised their spots on the first team. Heslinga led the nation with 4.59 kills-per-set and 340 kills, with Olfert close behind in averaging 4.23 kills-per-set. Greves led all U SPORTS setters with 10.82 assists-per-set.

Trinity Western’s Piers de Greeff made the jump from last year’s all-rookie team to a first team all-star selection this year, as the dynamic sophomore tied for fourth in conference kills with 263. Emmett Graham of Saskatchewan moved up to the first team after a second team nod last season.

The first team was rounded out by Calgary outside hitter Louis Kunstmann and UBCO middle Thys Weststrate, who becomes the first Heat men’s volleyball player to be named a first team all-star.

The second team was highlighted by a number of repeat recipients, including a third career all-star nod for Brandon middle Philipp Lauter. Sam Flowerday of Thompson Rivers was named an all-star for a second straight season, while UFV’s Jonas Van Huizen made his second straight second team appearance.

Joining Lauter as second team middles were Trent Cherewaty (Alberta), Jacob Baird (Saskatchewan) and Jordon Heppner (Manitoba). Rounding out the team was UBC outside hitter Gavin Moes.

The Calgary Dinos were the lone school with multiple all-rookie members, including libero Emil Olsen and outside hitter Cole Czepuryk. The province of Manitoba was represented by Winnipeg’s Easton Dick and Manitoba’s Owen Weekes. Alex Emery (UBC), Mitchell Croft (MacEwan) and Owen Harris (Alberta) rounded out the selections.

Quarterfinal matchups provide plenty of intrigue

Eight exciting quarterfinal matchups await Canada West volleyball fans later this week.

On the women’s side, top seeded UFV hosts Saskatchewan, while Alberta welcomes Winnipeg. Manitoba will host Mount Royal and UBC hosts provincial rival Thompson Rivers.

Looking at the men’s bracket, a playoff Duckworth Challenge will take centre stage as the Bisons battle the Wesmen in Winnipeg. The Battle of Alberta reignites with the Calgary Dinos visiting the Alberta Golden Bears, while Brandon visits UBC and Trinity Western heads east to take on Saskatchewan.

All quarterfinal series are best-of-three, before the final four is played in a single elimination format the following week.

Keep up to date with all the action, with playoff schedule, recaps and highlights available by visiting WinTheWest.ca.

Fans can ensure they don’t miss a moment of the action by streaming all matches on Canada West TV – Powered by BioSteel.

Canada West Women’s Volleyball All-Star and All-Rookie Teams

2024-25 CW Women’s Volleyball – First Team All-Stars

Lauren Attieh / Outside Hitter / UFV Cascades / 4th Year / Surrey, B.C.

Katreena Bentley / Setter / Manitoba Bisons / 4th Year / Winnipeg, Man.

Maryn Boldon / Outside Hitter / TWU Spartans / 3rd Year / Okotoks, Alta.

Lucy Borowski / Outside Hitter / UBC Thunderbirds / 4th Year / Vancouver, B.C.

Rida Erlalelitepe / Outside Hitter / TRU WolfPack / 1st Year / Izmir, Turkey

Justine Kolody / Setter / Alberta Pandas / 4th Year / Winnipeg, Man.

Raya Surinx / Left Side / Manitoba Bisons / 3rd Year / Winnipeg, Man.

2024-25 CW Women’s Volleyball – Second Team All-Stars

Julia Arnold / Libero / Manitoba Bisons / 5th Year / Winnipeg, Man.

Emma Boyd / Middle / MRU Cougars / 4th Year / Whitehorse, Yukon

Akash Grewal / Outside Hitter / UBC Thunderbirds / 4th Year / Vancouver, B.C.

Abby Guezen / Outside Hitter / Alberta Pandas / 2nd Year / Sherwood Park, Alta.

Taryn Hannah / Outside Hitter / Saskatchewan Huskies / 3rd Year / Battleford, Sask.

Allie Moore / Middle / Alberta Pandas / 3rd Year / Sherwood Park, Alta.

Kaylee Plouffe / Middle / TWU Spartans / 4th Year / Sherwood Park, Alta.

2024-25 CW Women’s Volleyball – All-Rookie Team

Leonora Barbulovich-Nad / Middle / UBC Thunderbirds / 1st Year / Toronto, Ont.

Anika Buys / Middle / MacEwan Griffins / 1st Year / Niverville, Man.

Olivia Boulding / Outside Hitter / UBCO Heat / 1st Year / Victoria, B.C.

Tayana Dmitruk / Setter / TWU Spartans / 1st Year / Surrey, B.C.

Gabi Flaman / Libero / Saskatchewan Huskies / 1st Year / Saskatoon, Sask.

Sophia Hansen / Outside Hitter / Calgary Dinos / 1st Year / Edmonton, Alta.

Ella Milne / Outside Hitter / Saskatchewan Huskies / 1st Year / Toowoomba, Australia

Canada West Men’s Volleyball All-Star and All-Rookie Teams

2024-25 CW Men’s Volleyball – First Team All-Stars

Piers de Greeff / Outside Hitter / TWU Spartans / 2nd Year / Victoria, B.C.

Emmett Graham / Right Side / Saskatchewan Huskies / 4th Year / Saskatoon, Sask.

Mason Greves / Setter / UBC Thunderbirds / 4th Year / Calgary, Alta.

Isaac Heslinga / Outside Hitter / Alberta Golden Bears / 4th Year / Orangeville, Ont.

Louis Kunstmann / Outside Hitter / Calgary Dinos / 4th Year / Neuenhain, Germany

Isaiah Olfert / Outside Hitter / Winnipeg Wesmen / 5th Year / Winnipeg, Man.

Thys Weststrate / Middle / UBCO Heat / 3rd Year / Kelowna, B.C.

2024-25 CW Men’s Volleyball – Second Team All-Stars

Jacob Baird / Middle / Saskatchewan Huskies / 2nd Year / Daisy Hill, Australia

Trent Cherewaty / Middle / Alberta Golden Bears / 2nd Year / Mulmur, Ont.

Sam Flowerday / Outside Hitter / TRU WolfPack / 4th Year / Proserpine, Australia

Jordon Heppner / Middle / Manitoba Bisons / 3rd Year / Winnipeg, Man.

Philipp Lauter / Middle / Brandon Bobcats / 4th Year / Wiesbaden, Germany

Gavin Moes / Outside Hitter / UBC Thunderbirds / 3rd Year / Barrhead, Alta.

Jonas Van Huizen / Setter / UFV Cascades / 4th Year / Langley, B.C.

2024-25 CW Men’s Volleyball – All-Rookie Team

Mitchell Croft / Opposite & Middle / MacEwan Griffins / 1st Year / Melbourne, Australia

Cole Czepuryk / Outside Hitter / Calgary Dinos / 1st Year / Calgary, Alta.

Easton Dick / Middle / Winnipeg Wesmen / 1st Year / Linden, Man.

Alex Emery / Middle / UBC Thunderbirds / 1st Year / Delta, B.C.

Owen Harris / Middle / Alberta Golden Bears / 1st Year / Edmonton, Alta.

Emil Olsen / Libero / Calgary Dinos / 1st Year / Bergen, Norway

Owen Weekes / Right Side / Manitoba Bisons / 1st Year / Winnipeg, Man.